Multi-section booms are frequently attached to an agricultural vehicle for performing various tasks. The boom may include a plurality of spaced nozzles for applying a herbicide or insecticide to crop rows. The boom sections may extend 70' or more in a direction transverse to the direction of movement of the agricultural vehicle. It is generally desirable to maintain the boom and attachments a fixed height above the crop rows. Because of the extended lengths and the requirement to minimize the weight of the boom assembly, there is a certain amount of "flex" in the boom. When the wheels of the vehicle traverse irregularities in the ground, the boom tends to oscillate in the vertical direction resulting in changes in the height of the tools above the crop row.
It is particularly desirable in the case of a sprayer to limit and dampen these oscillations and maintain the spray nozzles at a fixed height above the crop rows because each nozzle has a tapered spray pattern so that the area sprayed and the concentration of the chemical is constant only when the height of the nozzle is fixed. It is also desirable to maintain the lateral position of the tools relative to the crop rows fixed. This permits precise application of the herbicide or insecticide to the crop. Finally, it is desirable to provide a single suspension system for an agricultural boom which is capable of accommodating a wide range of boom lengths and weights and various attachments mounted to the boom.